Checking device.



P. GALLAGHER.

CHECKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED D30. 17, 1909.

1,006,203. Patented Oct. 17,1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGIIAPH CO" WASHINGTON, n, c.

FRANK GALLAGHER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHECKING DEVICE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 17, 1909.

Patented Oct. 1'7, 1911.

Serial No. 533,649.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK GALLAGHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, State ofPennsylvania, have invented a cer tain new and usefulImproved CheckingDevice, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to harness and has more particular referenceto that class of devices designed for use in connection with breaking ortraining horses, and the principal objects of the present invention arefirst, to provide a side checking device equipped with means calculatedto permit a horse to have a free head under ordinary conditions withoutpunishment, but to draw forcibly upon the roof of the mouth of theanimal, when the latter attempts to resist or fight the bit; second, toprovide a side checking device in which a bridoon roller is interposedbetween the bridoon or check bit and the draw straps; third, to providea side checking device in which the crown piece, nose strap and drawstraps are relatively fixed and in which the bridoon or check bit andits chin strap have substantially universal movement with respectthereto.

Other objects of the invention relate to general details of constructionand arrangement of parts as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described andfinally claimed.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will bemore fully understood from the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which Figure1, is a perspective view of a side checking device constructed inaccordance with the invention, Fig. 2, is a view drawn to an enlargedscale and showing in side elevation, the nose strap, bit and chin strapof the checking device, Fig. 3, is a front view thereof, and Fig. 4, isa fragmentary View principally in section illustrating the bridoonroller connection of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, there isshown an ordinary driving bit 1, connecting with which are driving reins2. Suitably connectingthe driving bit 1, and the crown 3, of the bridleis a connection 4. There is also present the throat latch 5. These partsare of ordinary and well-known construction.

A description will now be given of the side checking device of theinvention as arranged and connected with the above described parts inaccordance with the invention.

Use is made of a bit 6, which may be termed a bridoon or check bit whichis arranged in advance of the bit 1. As clearly illustrated in Fig. 3,this bit constitutes a body portion downwardly bowed and provided ateach end with upwardly and downwardly projecting vertically alinedextensions 7, and 8, terminating in eyes 9. The eyes of the lower ordownwardly projecting extensions 8, are equipped with rings or links1(). Connecting the two rings 10 are the billets of the chin strap 11.The nose strap 12, is shown as being secured centrally as at 16, to theface strap 13, which in turn is adjustably connected as at 14:, with thecrown 3, of the bridle. The free ends of the nose strap 12, areadjustably connected as at 15, with side draw reins or straps 16 ofcircular cross section, see Fig. 4, that pass upwardly to and throughgag runners 17 carried by the throat latch 5, and connecting with thebillets of the check straps 18. Movably mounted upon the draw reins orstraps 16 are bridoon rollers 19, mounted within forked members 20,terminating in eyes 21. Connecting the eyes 21, of the members 20, andthe eyes 9, of the projections 7, of the bit 6, are rings or links 22.

In training or breaking, a horse is usually given to pulling, sidepulling, tossing the head, bit fighting, tongue lolling and other badhabits to relieve or alleviate punishment or uneasiness, when a checkingdevice is used, which imposes continuous pressure. By the above recitedconstruction and arrangement of parts pressure upon the muscles, nervecenters and other sensitive parts of the horse is eliminated so long asthe horse behaves himself and the checking device will not annoy butshould the horse become unruly or balky then the horse by its ownexertions will cause the checking device to operate to draw forciblyupon the roof of its mouth thereby permitting the driver to have perfectcontrol over the animal. Thus, as long as the horse moves his head in afree and natural manner, no pun ishment is inflicted because the nosepiece is fixed and the bridoon or check bit is free to move with respectthereto by virtue of bridoon rollers and link connections.

What I claim is:

In a side checking device the combination with a driving bit, crownpiece and throat latch including its complemental gag runners, of abridoon bit located in advance of the driving bit, said bridoon bitbeing provided with upwardly and downwardly proj ecting verticallyalined extensions terminating in eyes, a chin strap, rings connectingthe billets of the chin strap with the eyes of the lower extensions ofthe bridoon bit, bridoon rollers, rings connecting the bridoon rollerswith the eyes of the upper extensions of the bridoon bit, a nose piece,a face strap connected centrally of the nose strap and supported by thecrown piece, and'side draw reins connected with the free ends of thenose strap and passing through the gag runners and over which thebridoon rollers are adapted to freely move.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name. I

FRANK GALLAGHER. L1 6.

Witnesses:

AGNES GAsKEY, WILLIAM J. JACKSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

